This project is part of the Black History Month celebration because it supports a Black teacher or a school where the majority of the students are Black.
My Students
In my fourth grade classroom, my students are encouraged to expand their thinking, ask questions, and take ownership of their learning. I am constantly looking for new ideas and inspiration to engage my students. I strive to make my classroom a space where students feel safe and valued. My ultimate goal is for my students to leave my classroom at the end of the year with the skills and tools they need to be successful in their futures, and hopefully to become lifelong learners.
My students are extremely diverse in both their cultures and their academic abilities, but what they all have in common is a genuine curiosity about the world.
My students want to learn! I work at a Title I school that is part of a very small, urban school district where every student receives a free breakfast and lunch. The resources available to both students as well as teachers are often limited by a lack of funding. Despite economic constraints, our students are full of pride for their school and community. They deserve the best education possible which I try to provide for them every day.
My Project
Benjamin Franklin said, "Either write something worth reading or do something worth writing.” Every student has done something worth writing about, but many have not yet discovered their full potential when it comes to writing. This year I will be embarking on my second year as a writing teacher. My job is to teach writing to all fourth-grade students in our school district. I realize that I still have much to learn about this subject, and my professional development will help me become a better writing teacher.
The texts I have chosen will help me become a better writing teacher, which will help my students become better writers.
These texts will focus on implementing mentor sentences as a way to teach both technical and creative writing skills. Mentor sentences allow teachers to teach writing skills in a meaningful way and teach dreaded grammar skills in context. The texts I have chosen will also strengthen my knowledge of mentor texts so that I can integrate reading instruction with my writing instruction. The texts are written by Ralph Fletcher and Jeff Anderson, both experts and leaders in the field of teaching writing, especially the Writer's Workshop. I began to implement the Writer's Workshop into my classroom last year, but I would benefit from more knowledge on the subject to make my Writer's Workshop more efficient.
I hope to use these texts as a guide to building an effective writing program for my fourth graders that reaches all students at their ability level and encourages their growth. I hope to instill an appreciation of writing in my students and build their love for the subject.
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As a teacher-founded nonprofit, we're trusted by thousands of teachers and supporters across the country. This classroom request for funding was created by Ms. Mohr and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.
